Complete an application with the federal government at www.grants.gov. All organizations seeking grant funding must complete their online application in order to be eligible to receive funds. Although this application is not necessary for those seeking grant funding from private sources, the federal government offers a wider array of funds, including the National Endowment for the Arts. Complete the application's four-step application by process by downloading the application packet, completing all the information, and returning it to the appropriate address.
Identify the organizational needs the targeted grant will be fulfilling. This can be accomplished by consulting the infrastructure of the organization (nonprofit or otherwise) that is seeking grant funding. This portion of the grant proposal is called a "need statement" and is the backbone of the entire document.
Ask the questions: Why does the organization need this money? How will these funds enable the organization to grow? Where will these funds be spent once secured? Use this information to create a detailed budget that allocates the anticipated grant's funds and where the organization sees the money being spent. Be as specific as possible in these estimations, because it shows the forethought the organization has taken in pursuing grant funds.
Target the audience, in this case the grant provider, by addressing their concerns directly. "Grant providers want to clearly see the necessity of your program," writes www.712eductaors.com, an online resource for grant writers. "To make sure that your project fulfills a need, compare what your school or community has now to what you feel it should have." Remember to read the grant provider's application instructions carefully, reviewing specific requirements and tailoring the application to suit these needs.
Create a brief and compelling cover letter. Use stationary with the organization's letterhead, and in the upper lefthand corner place the contact information of the organization applying for the grant as well as the name of the contact person. Write a short, focused opening paragraph introducing the organization and describing how the documents will show the work that has gone into the grant application. Write two more paragraphs stating the organization's purpose and history of receiving grant funds (if applicable), finishing with a summary of the facts enumerated in the preceding lines. End with "sincerely" and sign the cover letter in black ink.